IT NEVER DRIES UP

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 3, 1867

IT NEVER DRIES UP.

I was staying at a village on the Welsh coast, where the people had to bring all their water from a well. Not a single house had a pump. At all hours of the day, but chiefly before breakfast and before tea-time, little feet and great, often unshod, but very active, might be seen passing along the narrow lane, with every kind of pitcher, kettle and can, to a fresh-water well. Not a very trust-worthy friend after all was this village well.

“Is this well ever dry?” I inquired.

“Dry? Yes ma’am; very often in hot weather.”

“And where do you go then for water?”

“To the spring, a little way out of town.”

“And if the spring dries up?”

“Why, then we go to the well higher up, the best water of all.”

“But if the well higher up fails?”

“Why ma’am, that never dries up—never. It is always the same, winter and summer.”

I went to see this precious well, which “never dries up.” It was a clear, sparkling rivulet, coming down from the high hills, not with the torrent-leap, but with the steady flow and soft murmur of fullness and freedom. It flowed down the highway side. It was within the reach of every child’s little pitcher. It was enough for every empty vessel. The small birds came down thither to drink. The ewes and lambs had trodden down a little path to its brink. The thirsty beasts of burden, along the dusty road, knew the way (as I could see by their tracks) to the well “that never dried up.”

It reminded me of the water of life and salvation, flowing from the “Rock of Ages,” and brought within the reach of all men by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Every other brook may grow dry in the days of drouth and adversity; but this heavenly spring never ceases to flow.

Without waiting till earth’s wayside brooks shall fail, let us all hasten at once, with hearts athirst, to the heavenly well that “never dries up.”